Payaza and Yellow Card Rise Among Global Giants as Money20/20 Awards Finalists

 

The global fintech stage is often dominated by billion-dollar companies from Silicon Valley, Europe, and Asia. Yet in 2025, two Nigerian-born fintechs, Payaza and Yellow Card, have secured their place among the world’s top innovators as finalists at the prestigious Money20/20 Awards. This recognition not only cements their role as industry leaders in Africa but also proves they are ready to compete with global giants.

Money20/20, often described as the “Oscars of Fintech,” is the most influential event in the global financial technology ecosystem. Its annual awards spotlight groundbreaking companies shaping the future of payments, banking, and financial inclusion. Being shortlisted alone is a badge of honor that signals to investors, regulators, and consumers that a company is solving critical problems at scale.

For 2025, Payaza and Yellow Card stand tall as the only Nigeria-founded fintechs and two of only a handful of African-rooted companies to be recognized.

Payaza: Driving Financial Inclusion

Payaza was shortlisted under the Startup Category, specifically for its work in Financial Inclusion. Founded in 2021, the company has already processed nearly US$3.9 billion in transactions and expanded operations to 19 countries. Its infrastructure enables businesses and individuals to access seamless local and cross-border payments, bridging gaps for underserved populations.

Payaza’s financial maturity also stands out. In 2024, it secured ₦50 billion commercial paper approval from Nigeria’s FMDQ Exchange, while fulfilling a ₦14.9 billion obligation entirely from operating cash flows before maturity in 2025. These milestones highlight both its credibility and growth potential in Africa’s fast-evolving fintech landscape.

Yellow Card: Powering Borderless Payments

Yellow Card, founded in 2019, was recognized in the Payments Category for its leadership in Borderless Payments. Over the years, it has grown into one of Africa’s largest crypto and payments platforms, operating in about 20 countries. By 2022, it had already surpassed 1 million customers across 16 African markets.

Yellow Card has positioned itself as a critical player in Africa’s stablecoin economy. Nigeria alone recorded nearly US$22 billion in stablecoin transactions between July 2023 and June 2024, with Yellow Card playing a significant role in that activity. The company also raised US$33 million in Series C funding in late 2024, led by Blockchain Capital, to scale its B2B offerings and further solidify its role as the backbone of borderless payments in Africa.

Importantly, their recognition is a win for Africa as a whole. It challenges the outdated perception that innovation flows only from the West to emerging markets. Instead, it shows Africa can export world-class solutions to the rest of the globe.

The presence of Payaza and Yellow Card at Money20/20 signals a broader shift. Africa’s fintech ecosystem has matured from serving basic mobile money needs to developing complex solutions that rival global products. Payaza and Yellow Card’s recognition as Money20/20 finalists is a watershed moment. It validates their vision, underscores the progress of Africa’s fintech sector, and inspires other startups across the continent to aim higher.

This year’s finalists list also includes RSwitch (Rwanda), further proving that African innovators are not just participants but contenders in shaping the global financial future.

The full list of companies that have made the finalist stage are listed below. To see the details of the entries, visit The Money Award Showcase Page.

1. STARTUP

• 6lock, Inc.
• Cenoa
• Closinglock
• Eisen
• Taktile
• Multiply Mortgage
• Eloquent Ai
• Flagright
• Payaza Africa Limited
• Tunic Pay
• Loop Crypto
• Agree.com
• Baselayer
• Bolttech
• Yuno

2. PARTNERSHIPS & STRATEGIC ALLIANCE

• Mastercard
• Ci&T And Project Nemo
• Greenlight Financial Technology, U.S. Bank
• Algbra Labs / Clearbank
• Besitos
• Storfund

3. PAYMENTS

Agree.Com

Ant Group

New Generation

Rswitch

Socure

Yellow Card

Zerohash

Supportpay

The Clearing House

Thunes

Vgs

J.P. Morgan Payments

Jazzcash, A Veon Group Fintech

Justt

Datavisor

Fireblocks

Branch

Closinglock

Coins.Ph

Ixopay

Mastercard

Mynt

4. BANKING

Array

Lts Ventures

Wysh

Xapo Bank

Bloom Credit

Fair Isaac Corporation (Fico)

Mx Technologies, Inc.

Nubank

Oscilar

Pagaya

Cleo Ai

Credcore

Datavisor

Banco Pichincha

Better.Com

Revolut

Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation

Silicon Valley Bank

Socure

J.P. Morgan Payments

Jazzcash, A Veon Group Fintech

Lts Ventures

Wysh

Xapo Bank

5. DIAMOND